This June 2007 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Cessna 172.
Location: Halls Crossing, Utah.
Injuries: None.
Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to land on a dirt road that is used as a backcountry strip. He had a tailwind, which caused the plane to land long and with too high of an airspeed. The road made a curve and the pilot was not able to keep the airplane on the road. The airplane encountered rough terrain and the nose wheel and left wing were bent by the impact.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to select suitable terrain for landing.
